


Stolen

by Alphinss



Series: Fictober [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baby Harry Potter, Fictober, OOC, One Shot, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 01:57:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16171250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alphinss/pseuds/Alphinss
Summary: Severus can's stand to see those green eyes looking at him like that, Lily's green eyes. A moment of madness and he's somehow become attached to the saviour of the wizarding world. The feeling seems mutual.Written for #fictober18 day 3





	Stolen

**Author's Note:**

> I had fun with this, it was really enjoyable to write. I hope that you guys like it too.

Severus sat on the floor of the run-down house that he had never really been able to call home. His eyes were glassy, his mind still in a haze. His head was propped against the sofa arm and his legs were sprawled out ungracefully on the dusty floor. He blinked down at the black material of his trousers; picking off a few of the specks that marred the material.

He was, however, forced from the haze that had fogged his mind as the small whimpers that had been echoing from the sofa, now turned into much larger wails. Severus frowned. He pushed himself from the floor to look at the small bundle that lay on wrapped in a blue blanket. Tears were streaming from the green eyes and the little face was bright red.

Severus couldn’t stand to look at those green eyes looking so sad. For the second time that day, he picked up the little boy who looked so broken and ran a soothing hand along the little back.

“Shhh” Severus soothed as he rocked the small body that he held tightly to his chest. He clutched the tiny boy closer to him. His hand cradled the boy’s nappy-clad bottom and he noticed the heaviness of it in his hand.

With a flick of his wrist Severus cleaned the soiled nappy with a quick cleaning spell. The little boy let out a small sigh of satisfaction at the clean feeling. The solution was, however, only a temporary one. Cleaning charms quickly made objects loose their shape. The nappy would be useless by this time tomorrow. Yet Severus didn’t have the time to worry about that at the moment. Instead he continued to rock the small black haired boy in his arms. The boy nuzzled into his shoulder. However there were still small whimpers coming from the tiny red lips.

Severus didn’t know what he was doing. He had no idea how he got himself into this situation. One second he had been holding Lily’s corpse in his arms, sobbing over the loss of the woman that he loved. The next second and he had had her son in her place and he had been running down the street, dust in his hair and a wild look in his eyes. He had somehow found himself back at the house that he had not been to in years. It was as though the green eyes had bewitched him.

Severus sat back on the sofa, the boy still tightly clung to his chest. The young boy was still distressed. Without really thinking Severus’ mouth moved by itself.

“A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain” the sound of his voice was rough. Barely could it be called singing. Yet it was something that his own mother had once sung to him. It was the only way that he could think to soothe the distraught baby in his arms.

“Softly blows over Lullaby Bay,” the baby wriggled slightly, but the whimpers had become quieter. Severus’ body rocked in time with the music.

“It fills the sails of boats that are waiting,” The small boy stopped his movements altogether. The little boy’s fingers merely gripping the material of Severus’ robes tighter.

“Waiting to sail your worries away.” Severus found his own eyes becoming heavy as the baby’s breathing evened out.

“It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain,” still continuing the song he lay himself down on his back. The now, nearly asleep bundle, lay on his chest. Severus left his arms firmly around the one-year-old.

“And your boat waits down by the quay.” His voice was quite now, his breathing moving the small boy up and down.

“The winds of night so softly are sighing,” Severus’ eyes fluttered shut. He could hear rain pattering on the window outside.

  
“Soon they will fly your troubles to sea.” Severus finally lost the battle by sleep. As did little Harry, who was soon asleep on the servant of the man who had just killed his parents.

* * *

Severus woke up, confused and disorientated. There were, what felt like fingers, running over his face, pulling at his nose and poking at his cheeks. Severus let out a groan. He brought up his own hand to get rid of the nuisance that was in his face, only for his hand to connect with a small body. Severus opened his eyes to see the smiling face of a black haired boy. The boy had managed to seat himself on Severus’ collar bone and seemed content in poking at his face. The little boy let out a small babble as he saw Severus’ eyes open, followed by what might have passed as a laugh. Great, even babies were mocking him now.

“What are you looking so pleased about?” Severus scowled at the small human. He still had no idea what to do with him. Severus was only twenty-one. He had just lost his best and only friend. He had enslaved himself to a master that had just died at the hands of an infant and said infant, was now sitting on him, poking his face. It was all too much to cope with.

Severus sat up, making sure that the baby was securely in his arms as he righted himself. Severus let out a small groan. Sleeping on a sofa was never a great idea. His back was painful and his neck was stiff.

“What am I supposed to do with you?” he questioned the babbling baby. He had no supplies for the small creature that he had somehow become the prime carer of. He was still not sure what to do with the ‘saviour of the wizarding world’. He was sure that said wizarding world would be an utter mess. Harry had, after all, disappeared without a trace. Even in his state, Severus had still cleared the area of his magical signature.

What was he to do with the baby? He couldn’t give him over to Death Eaters. He was sure to be dead in minutes. Severus couldn’t do that to those eyes, to her eyes. That was why he was in this mess in the first place. He also couldn’t just dump the boy off at some random orphanage. Lily would never have allowed that. On top of that, the moment he made his way anywhere near anyone in the wizarding world the child would be taken from him and he would be locked up in seconds. The brand on his arm may have faded but it was still evident to anyone that wanted to know what his past had been.

The baby pulled at his ear, pulling Severus from his thoughts. He sighed. Well, the first thing that he should do was to get the pair of them some breakfast. If he remembered correctly, there was a small cafe that was around a five-minute walk from the house. If it was still open, that was. He was sure that that at….Severus waved a hand…11.17, wow, they really had slept late. Harry cooed and waved his hands through the bright numbers of the tempus. Well, he was sure that at eleven seventeen, now eighteen, they would be able to get something.

Severus haphazardly got himself changed after casting cleaning spells on both himself and the little wizard still in his arms. Severus himself was now dressed in a pair of blue muggle jeans that his father had once owned. This meant that they did not fit him as they should. His frame being far too skeletal for their size. A quick shrinking spell mostly fixed that. A belt made the rest of the alterations. On his top half he wore a grey and worn jumper. However, Harry did not seem to mind the musty smell of the material. He still buried his face in it.

Speaking of Harry, Severus would have to get the boy some new clothes and some new diapers and food and…Severus stopped himself. He needed coffee before he could deal with this.

“Come along then…” he trailed off. “brat” he settled with. It would not do to be overly affectionate with the creature. He was, after all, still related to James Potter. Green eyes blinked up at him and a smile with only three teeth broke across the face. Lily’s too, he was reminded.

Severus stepped through the front door, baby still buried in his chest. He wondered when it was that babies began to walk for themselves. He caught himself. There was no way that the brat would be around for that long.

“We’re going to get food brat” the boy looked at him attentively. His fingers had found their way into his mouth and he alternated between chewing and gumming on them as they moved around his mouth.

“Stop that, its most unpleasant.” The boy did not stop. Severus kept on walking.

They soon reached the cafe. It was still open, yet it looked far more cheerful than Severus ever remembered it being. A large wooden sigh was in the window, the over friendly font proclaiming it to be the ‘Sugar Cube’. What a ridiculous name. Severus went inside anyway. Harry was babbling to himself as the bell jingled, announcing his arrival.

A friendly looking man, salt and pepper hair and a pair of wire frame glasses perched on his nose, greeted them.

“Good morning,” the man said with a smile. “Take a seat”

Severus glanced down at the baby in his arms who had once again resorted to chewing on his fingers. Severus was now sure that that was a sign of hunger. Yet the youngster had not voiced his complaints as of yet. Well, at least the brat was polite. Severus looked back up at, who he assumed, was the owner of the shop.

“I’ll get a chair for the youngen’” he smiled “I’ll just go in the back” Severus gave a small nod. Not necessarily in thanks, more in acknowledgment of his unspoken request. As little conversation as possible, was always the best state of affairs.

Severus sat at a table near the back of the cafe. There were several other tables filled around the cafe, but none in his vicinity. He set Harry on his lap as he sat and he grabbed a menu, taking a look over the list of food.

“What shall we have to eat?” Severus questioned. Mostly for the boy’s benefit. It would not do to have him growing up without a basic grasp of the English language. There he went again. He shook his head. The brat would not be here long enough to need to learn English from him. He would only be here until he worked out what to do with the stolen baby.

Distracted, Severus had not noticed as a wooden highchair had been placed next to the table. Harry, however, seemed to, as he began to shrink into Severus’ jumper, away from the prying eyes of the owner that had brought it over.

Severus blinked down at the baby.

“There you go sir, are you ready to order?” the overly cheerful man asked.

Severus wanted to scowl. But that would be rather unproductive.

“A black coffee and…” he paused “an apple juice” he scowled. How undignified.

“Right you are, and to eat?” the man smiled broadly.

“Mixed Vegetable omelette and the kids breakfast.” That seemed like a safe bet. He had no idea if Harry would like any of the food on the plate, but that was what he was getting. If he was hungry enough he would eat it.

“Of course. I’ll have them over to you in a jiffy,” the man said, before heading over to what Severus presumed was the kitchen.

“Come on then brat. You have your own seat now, so let’s get you off my lap.”

Harry was not at all amicable to this decision.

Severus set the young boy down in the highchair. The second that his hands left the small form, the wails started.

Severus stared in shock at the small boy. This was, by far, the loudest noise that he had heard come from the boy. His screams were piercing and it sounded as though the boy were being tortured. It took Severus a second to realise what was happening. He could only blink at the screaming boy. Every eye in the cafe was now on them.

“What is it brat?” he scowled over the screaming. It had no effect. Severus grimaced. Attention of any sort was unwanted at this time. Especially as a result of a screaming baby.

He leaned forward and plucked the small body from the highchair. The second that Harry was back in Severus’ arms, the screaming stopped. Severus sighed in frustration as he sat down, the baby back in his lap. Harry was occasionally sniffing. His hands clung tightly into Severus’ jumper.

“Getting attached to a slimy Slytherin” Severus huffed. “What would your father say?” His hand came to rub up and down the little boy’s back. It seemed that the boy would not be going back in that ridiculous chair anytime soon. Severus could not cope with the volume of the child.

Their food soon arrived and with it further judgement from the room of people around them. Harry was eating as though he had never eaten before in his life. His little hands grasped at the food and stuffed it in his mouth as fast as he could. He managed to cover his hands and face in a mixture of toast, baked beans, sausage and god knows what else. He was also managing to get some of the mess on Severus.

Severus, less than impressed with the state of affairs, had attempted to slow the boy down in his eating. He had pushed the plate away from the boy and attempted to feed him with a fork. Far more dignified. However, that had, once again, brought on the screams, loud and desperate, from the boy. Severus sighed and gave in to the boys demands. At least in public, he told himself, it was better not to make a scene.

The meal ended quickly, Severus attempting to end his humiliation as quickly as he could. He had dragged the young baby to the bathroom after the meal and cast a few quick cleaning charms on the brat and himself. He really needed to get some new clothes and soon, both for himself and the boy. Due to the number of cleaning spells cast on the material they only had a few hours left. Severus sighed, it seemed they were going shopping.

To avoid the inevitable attention of the wizarding world, Severus had decided that his best bet was to go shopping in the muggle world. Not that he wanted to. But the small boy who still clung to his newly cleaned jumper really needed supplies. Just until he decided what to do with him. After all, he wouldn’t be here for long.

Apperating with young babies was ill-advised, so Severus’ only other choice was to get the train. There was a station a fifteen-minute walk from the cafe and the line would talk him directly into muggle London. He sighed; what a hassle. With baby in tow he easily boarded the train and within forty-five minutes they were arriving at Charring Cross station. Severus didn’t know muggle London that well. He had not been there since he had been in his early teens. Before his mother had…

Severus hoped that he could remember enough to get him through. He had enough muggle money on him to at least get him through the day. After Severus’ father had died, Severus had wanted nothing to do with him or his muggle way of life. He was a wizard after all. A wizard among the ranks of who he had thought had been the future ruler of the pureblood wizarding world. That had obviously not been the case.

But due to his utter disregard for muggles, Severus had refused to touch either his father’s property or the money that was stored there, for the last three years. The man had had around ten thousand pounds saved up. He may have been an alcoholic, but he was a cheap one. He was an insane, stingy, drunk. He hadn’t trusted banks and so had stored all his money in his own house. It was easy enough for Severus to use now. Just until he got rid of the boy.

Severus walked into the first shop that looked as though it might be even remotely capable of assisting him in his efforts to provide for the brat. Mothercare was emblazoned in big blue letters above the doors. A bit presumptuous, Severus thought. What about father care? Or maybe kidnapper care?

The first thing Severus saw as he walked into the shop was a large group of trollies that sat by the first set of automatic doors. Severus, loath as he was to admitted that this might be a useful addition to his excursion, pulled one out from the train of them, one with a seat at the front.

“Now brat,” Harry looked up at him, blinking. “You’re going to sit in this seat and you’re not going to scream. You will be able to see me and I need both hands for shopping for you.” Harry only blinked again. Severus scowled.

However as Severus began to move Harry into the small chair, his lip began to wobble and his eyes became watery. As Severus let go, he feared the screams. However Harry merely pulled at Severus’ hand, holding one finger between his. His grip was as tight as he was able. The boy would certainly start screaming if Severus forced him to let go. The ex-Slytherin sighed. It seemed that this was his life now.

He walked around the shop, mostly in a daze. He needed the essentials. But there was so much that seemed deemed essential by this shop. Severus felt lost as he stood by the clothes selection. He knew that the boy in the trolly was around sixteen months old, but the clothes for sixteen months looked far to small for the boy. Severus sighed. This state of utter despair seemed to be becoming his normal state of affairs.

He grabbed the boy from the small seat. Holding the boy with one hand, he used the other to hold up the twelve to sixteen-month shirt against the wriggling baby. Yes, that would be far too small. He picked the next size up, that still seemed a little small. Severus would rather get larger clothes than smaller. The boy could grow into them after all. Well, he could with the next people that he ended up with.

Severus sighed. He grabbed a mix of clothing ranging from eighteen months to twenty-four and threw them into the trolly before he placed Harry back in the seat. They would have to do for now. The people that Harry ended up with could buy more. The boy was still clutching his finger.

Severus picked up a few things that it was almost impossible to get wrong. Blankets, bottles, bibs, plates and cutlery, a mosses basket, baby wipes, nappy rash cream and a few other ‘essentials’. Next was the nappies. Severus thought that he might be getting a headache. He had no idea what size the boy was meant to wear. Therefore he went with the same policy with the clothes. He bought a range. He could grow into them.

As Severus was heading toward the check out he had a thought. Toys were probably something that the child would benefit from. At least they would keep him occupied while Severus thought of somewhere to put him. Severus sighed. He was in utterly over his head.

He pushed the now filling trolly down the aisle. It was filled with a variety of toys, many of which seemed far too old for Harry and his small, clumsy hands. As Severus neared the end of the isles there was a group of toys that seemed more appropriate.

Severus, scowl firmly in place, picked up some cloth blocks, each with different pictures and textures on. He then picked up a soft ball, some wooden dinosaurs and wooden cars, painted in bright colours and finally a circle stacker, each hoop getting smaller, the further up the column that they went. That was enough for the boy. He wouldn’t be here long enough for much more.

As he wheeled the trolly away from the toys and toward the checkout Harry made a small excited noise. Using the hand that was not still clinging to Severus he pointed at the row of soft toys that littered several shelves.

“Turt” he shouted out.

Severus looked to Harry in confusion. His word was slurred and he had no idea what the boy was saying. He carried on walking.

“Turt, no, no, turt” he whined, sounding slightly broken. Severus stopped. The green eyes filled with tears looked up at him. He sighed again. This seemed to be becoming a habit.

He picked up the small body, which then stretched closer toward the display of soft toys.

“Turt” Harry whined.

“What do you want you obnoxious brat.” Severus’ words, however, had no heat behind them. Severus took a few steps closer toward the soft toys that the boy was so desperately indicating toward. As soon as he was close enough, one of the small hands grabbed one of the stuffed toys from the shelf.

“Turt” the boy said, as he happily buried his face into the bright orange shell of the turtle that he had just picked up from the shelf. Severus sighed. It seemed that they were buying a turtle as well.

Severus got home with a toddler asleep on his shoulder and arms that were aching. Even if he had been able to shrink down all his purchases and place them in his pocket, he hadn’t realised how much strength it took to carry around a baby all day. It was exhausting.

Severus gingerly placed the brat on the sofa, careful not to wake him. He needed to unpack and he was in desperate need of a shower. He did not want Harry to start screaming again. Severus took all the bags out of his pocket and resized them. They were in a mess of a pile on the floor. He would sort them out later. Right now he wanted a shower. But first, he needed to cast cleaning spells on what was sure to be a rather uncared for bathroom.

It took Severus only a few minutes to get the bathroom in a usable state. He had showered in much worse places than this. In fact, it had mostly been a matter of dust. His father had evidently been surprisingly clean.

Severus felt joyful as the stream of water washed over him. It was the most human that he had felt in days. It also gave him a minute alone with his thoughts. To think about his own stupidity. He didn’t want to admit it, but he knew, deep down, that there was no way that he was giving up that little boy to anyone. He would rather die first. It seemed that Harry Potter had already managed to force his way into the heart of Severus Snape.

 


End file.
